Toy firearm



March 12, 1963 T. w. NlCHOLS 8 TOY FIREARM Filed March 31., 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Tad/6y W /V/C/70/J INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEY T. W. NICHOLS TOY FIREARM March 12, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 31, 1961 IN VEN TOR:,.

ATTO/PA/[V 3,fifi,fi7i Patented Mar. 12, 1963 3 33813 557 3 TGY FIREARM Talley W. Nichols, @irele N. Ranch, Jacksonville, Tex. Filed Mar. 31, 1961, Ser. No. 99,773 2 Claims. ((11. 42-54) This invention relates to toy firearms, and more particularly to a cap pistol which is made to resemble a Flintlock and which embodies means for utilizing the explosive force of a paper cap to discharge a bullet on firing.

The invention has for an important object the provision of a toy pistol which resembles a fiintlock in appearance and action and in which the firing mechanism is adapted for use with paper caps.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy firearm of the type resembling a fiintlock, which is adapted to be loaded with a bullet and which makes use of a paper cap, means being provided for largely dissipating the explosive force of the cap and for directing a portion of such force against the bullet to discharge the same.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a toy firearm of the kind mentioned having a barrel formed with an inlet port and an anvil located adjacent the port and having a removable cover for holding a cap on the anvil in position to be detonated when the cover is struck by a hammer, the anvil and cover being shaped to allow the escape of gases formed by the explosion of the cap and to direct a portion of such gases into the barrel through the inlet port.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy firearm of the type referred to having a realistic appearance and action and which is easily reloaded and safe to use.

The above and other important obiects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the firearm of the invention, showing the relative positions of the parts at one stage of the loading of the same;

FZGURE 2 is a view similar to that of FIJURE l, partly broken away, and partly in crosssection, showing details of the internal structure of the firearm and its firing mechanism, the same being shown in loaded condition, ready for firing;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar "to that of FIGURE 1 showing the relative positions of the parts after firing;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view, taken along the line 55 of FIGURE 4, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, the invention is illustrated herein in connection with application to a toy firearm which is constructed to have an appearance and operating mechanism resembling that of an ancient fiintlock pistol. The firearm of the invention has a barrel 1i and a stock or handle 12, formed of suitable material, such as metal, plastic, or the like, the barrel having a bore 14 at the muzzle end of the firearm and which is closed at its inner end, and the handle being of hollow construction to enclose the firing mechanism.

The barrel 19 has a side slot 16, near its inner end which opens into the interior of the bore 14, and leading to the exterior or the barrel, and which is provided at its outer end with an outwardly flared portion 18. The barrel also has an external laterally extending lug 2%, formed with a Hat upper face 22, forming a continuation of the lower side of the slot 16 to provide an anvil upon which an 2 explosive paper cap 24 may be positioned and adjacent the outer end of the slot.

A cover element 26 is carried on a pivotally supported arm 28, suitably attached to the barrel as by means of a screw 30 in position to permit the cover to be lowered over the anvil 20 to hold the cap in place or to be lifted up to uncover the anvil when it is desired to reload the firearm. The cover 26 has a recess 32 formed in its lower face, to provide a downwardly projecting rim 34 extending partially about the cover, which rim extends downwardly past the upper face 22 of the anvil when the cover is in its lowered position. The cover is formed with a gap in the rim 34, along one side of the cover adjacent the outer end of the slot 16 to permit the discharge of gases formed by the explosion of the cap 24 to pass out of the recess 32 into the bore 14 through the slot upon firing, and the cover may also have internal ridges 36, in the cavity 32 positioned for engagement with the cap when the cover is closed to form passageways opening toward the slot 16 for the escape of gases from the cavity into the bore.

It will be apparent that the cover and anvil form a firing chamber located externally of the bore and from which a portion of the gases formed by the explosion of the cap may escape into the bore upon firing.

The arm 28 of the cover mechanism may be provided with an external lug or cam 38, positioned for engagement with a resilient element 4i mounted on the stock at a location to act as a leaf spring in engagement with the lug or cam to yieldingly hold the cover in its elevated position as seen in FIGURE 1, or in its closed position, as shown in FEGURE 2, and this arm is also provided with a projection 42 which may be used for raising and lowering the cover. The arm 28 may also have the projection 24 positioned for engagement with the element 40 to act as a stop to limit the upward swinging movement of the cover.

The firing mechanism of the invention includes a pivotally mounted hammer i8 positioned to strike the top of the cover 28 when the cover is in closed position, to explode a cap positioned on the anvil 2d. The hammer lever 46 extends into the interior of the stock 12 through a suitable slot therein and is pivotally connected to the stock, as by means of a pivot pin 5%), for vertical swinging movement. The lever 46 is provided with an external lug 52 located in the stock, which is positioned for engagement with a trigger member 54 to hold the hammer in cocked position, as best seen in FIGURE 2. The hammer lever is yieldingly urged toward striking position by means of a coil spring 56 surrounding the pivot pin 59, and connected to the stock in the usual manner, as by means of lugs or pins 53 and 60.

The trigger member 54 of the invention is pivotally mounted in the stock as by means of a pin 62 and has an arm 54 positioned for releasable engagement with the lug 52 to hold the hammer lever in cocked position and an arm 66, extending downwardly through a slot 68 in the stock in position for actuation by the users finger in the usual manner to fire the weapon. The trigger 5 is urged toward latching position with the lug 5 2, in the usual manner as by means of a coil spring 7% surrounding the pivot pin 62 and whose ends are anchored to the stock, as by means of pins or lugs 72 and '74.

The above described firing mechanism is operated in an obvious manner by pulling back the hammer arm 46 to move the lug 52 upwardly to allow the arm 64 of the trigger 54 to move to latching position beneath the lug to hold the hammer lever in cocked position. In firing the weapon, a pull is exerted on the arm 66 of the trigger 54 to move the arm 64 of the trigger out of engagement with the lug 52, to release the hammer arm, whereupon the hammer arm will swing downwardly to engage the hama mer 43 with the top of the cover 26 to detonate the cap.

At its outer end, the bore 14 of the barrel may be flared outwardly, as shown at 76, and a suitable projector, such as the hollow bullet 78, is inserted in the outer end of the barrel. The bullet 78 is preferably formed of relatively thin plastic material closed at its outer end and whose inner end is open to the interior of the barrel when the bullet is inserted therein,

In using the firearm, constructed as described above, a bullet 73 is inserted in the barrel and the hammer is cocked by swinging the hammer lever 46 upwardly until the arm 64 of the trigger is engaged beneath the lug 52 to hold the hammer back. The cover 26 is then moved to its elevated position, as illustrated in FIGURE 1, the cam 33 being then in engagement with the resilient member 40 to hold the cover up, whereupon a cap 24 may be placed on the anvil 2i) and the cover then lowered over the cap, in which position the lug 38 will be in engagement with the resilient member 40 to hold the cover on the cap.

When the trigger arm 66 is pulled, the arm 64. will be moved out of engagement with the lug 52 to allow the hammer lever to move downwardly to strike the hammer 48 on the top of the cover 26 to explode the cap, whereupon gases formed by the explosion may escape into the bore 14 through the slot 16 to discharge the bullet.

It is to be noted that the cover 26 may fit rather loosely over the anvil so that a part of the gases formed by the explosion may readily escape from beneath the cover, and also because of the outwardly flaring outer end portion 18 of the slot 16, a large part of the gases may escape without passing through the slot into the bore, whereby the force of the expanding gases on the bullet 78 will be greatly reduced.

For the purpose of rendering the invention relatively safe for use by children, the bullet 78, as mentioned above, is preferably formed of thin, flexible plastic, capable of expanding readily when subjected to internal pressure, and the bullet is also formed at its forward end with a portion 80 of greatly reduced thickness, which is easily ruptured or fractured, to allow the rapid escape of pressure.

Due to the relative flexibility and expansibility of the bullet and the large area of contact between the external surface of the bullet and the internal surface of the bore 14 of the barrel, the frictional contact between the bullet and barrel will be greatly increased as the pressure of the gas in the barrel increases, so that the force tending to hold the bullet in the barrel may be substantially greater than the force required to burst the nose of the bullet, in the event that the firearm is overloaded thus preventing the bullet from being discharged at a velocity which would be likely to cause injury.

Moreover, it will be apparent that the placing of a number of caps on the anvil 20 will cause the cover 26 to occupy a somewhat elevated position above the anvil,

to provide additional clearance between the cover and anvil, through which gases from the firing of the caps may more easily escape, whereby an increase in the force applied to the bullet on firing of the firearm will be prevented in the event that the firearm is overloaded.

By suitably forming the bullet, as described above and shaping the anvil and cover for coaction in the manner described, it will be apparent that the propelling force which is exerted upon the bullet upon firing may be limited in a manner to prevent the bullet from being discharged at a velocity which would be likely to cause injury, thus greatly increasing the safety of the toy for use by children.

It will thus be seen that the invention provides a toy firearm of realistic appearance resembling a fiintlock and having loading and firing mechanism which operates in a realistic manner.

The invention is disclosed herein in connection with a certain specific embodiment of the same, but it will be understood that this is intended by way of illustration only and that various changes can be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts Within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus clearly shown and described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A toy firearm comprising a barrel having an opening leading from the exterior into the bore of the barrel in spaced relation to the muzzle of the barrel, means forming an anvil externally of the barrel and having a surface disposed adjacent the outer end of the opening, a cover movably mounted on the barrel for movement into and out of a position to cover the anvil and having a downwardly extending rim positioned to extend downwardly beyond said surface when the cover is in covering position and downwardly extending ribs located inwardly of the plane of the edge of said rim in position to engage and hold a cap on said surface and to form with the anvil passageways extending toward said opening when the cover is in covering position, said rim having an aperture positioned to allow an outflow of gas through said passageways into said opening upon detonation of the cap, and means for delivering an impact against said cover to detonate the cap.

2. A toy firearm comprising a barrel having an opening leading from the exterior into the bore of the barrel in spaced relation to the muzzle of the barrel, means forming an anvil having an u wardly facing surface adjacent the outer end of the opening, a cover of inverted tray shape movably mounted on the barrel for movement into a position covering said surface and having downwardly extending internal ribs whose lower extremities are located inwardly of the edge of the rim of the cover in position to engage a cap on said surface to confine the cap between the anvil and cover when the cover is in covering position, said cover having an aperture positioned to allow an outflow of gas from beneath the cover into said opening when the cap is detonated, and hammer means movably connected to the barrel for movement into engagement with the cover to deliver an impact to the cover to detonate the cap.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 201,189 McConnell Mar. 12, 1878 214,317 Brison May 13, 1879 286,455 Lockwood Oct. 9, 1883 1,853,834 Peake Apr. 12,1932

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,017,949 Germany Oct. 17, 1957 

1. A TOY FIREARM COMPRISING A BARREL HAVING AN OPENING LEADING FROM THE EXTERIOR INTO THE BORE OF THE BARREL IN SPACED RELATION TO THE MUZZLE OF THE BARREL, MEANS FORMING AN ANVIL EXTERNALLY OF THE BARREL AND HAVING A SURFACE DISPOSED ADJACENT THE OUTER END OF THE OPENING, A COVER MOVABLY MOUNTED ON THE BARREL FOR MOVEMENT INTO AND OUT OF A POSITION TO COVER THE ANVIL AND HAVING A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING RIM POSITIONED TO EXTEND DOWNWARDLY BEYOND SAID SURFACE WHEN THE COVER IS IN COVERING POSITION AND DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING RIBS LOCATED INWARDLY OF THE PLANE OF THE EDGE OF SAID RIM IN POSITION TO ENGAGE AND HOLD A CAP ON SAID SURFACE AND TO FORM WITH THE ANVIL PASSAGEWAYS EXTENDING TOWARD SAID OPENING WHEN THE COVER IS IN COVERING POSITION, SAID RIM HAVING AN APERTURE POSITIONED TO ALLOW AN OUTFLOW OF GAS THROUGH SAID PASSAGEWAYS INTO SAID OPENING UPON DETONATION OF THE CAP, AND MEANS FOR DELIVERING AN IMPACT AGAINST SAID COVER TO DETONATE THE CAP. 